New to this, but

Can someone tell me the best suppessor for an Ar15 in .223? Also, I know that the license is not that bad for price, but isn't the cost of the suppessor way out there? Also, do I have to tell ATF if I plan to take it to anywhere but my home? Thanks everyone that reads as well as those that respond.

It's not a license, it's a tax. 200 dollars may or may not be "that bad", but yeah, I think 600 dollars (which is about what a high-powered rifle can would cost) is kinda high.

No, you don't need to tell ATF anything, unless you moving to another state. There is a form for "temporarily exporting to another state", like when you go to another state to a match, or something like that. That's required for machine guns and SBS or SBR, but not for AOW or silencer. ATF "suggests" you get one for any NFA, but there is no law saying you have to. If your question is, "I'm gonna go out and shoot it - do I need to tell ATF?", no you don't. Carry your paperwork. Actually, make copies of your paperwork, and put the original away safely. Carry a copy with you whenever you take it out. Legally, you are only required to show your paperwork to an ATF agent. If your local town cop/deputy sheriff/state trooper/FBI guy thinks it's illegal, and wants to see your paperwork, legally you can tell them to take a long walk on a short pier. Realistically, however, they will then arrest you and you will stay arrested until you can prove it is legal by showing them your paperwork, so might as well have a copy with you whenever you take the can out.

as far as best caliber,that would be the one that is least expensive to buy.i have only owned a supressed 22 cal ruger pistol.i dont want to bust your bubble but after a while i wondered why i bought it.the ammo was a little more than reg 22 and when i went to range i had to listen to others around that werent supressed.(still loud noises)i also discovered if noise was an issue i could shoot 22 short or long cbs in my bolt rifles and didnt have to drag paper work with me.if i remember right my first supressor lasted about a thousand rounds(not worth the money.sorry old semperfi

are you aware that you must use sub sonic ammo and it may not cycle,also a supressor wears out a little everytime you use it. old semperfi

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I do not know what kind of silencers you are used to using, but if you use one made from metal that is filled with baffles, then they will last thousands of rounds without degradation unless they are mounted out of alignment or over heated. The only silencers that wear out quickly are those that use wipes or mesh.

There is no need to use subsonic ammo in a suppressed weapon. A silencer will reduce noise by a similar amount no matter what kind of ammo is used. While a 308 rifle may be 165 decibels with standard supersonic ammo, and 155 decibels (ten times less intensity) with subsonic, the silencer will reduce the noise about the same even though the rifle with the subsonic ammo will be much less noisy in the end.

The main reason subsonic ammo (ex 308 or 223) is less noisy is that it uses less powder than the same cartridge with a large charge for supersonic loads. While there is a sonic boom made by the high speed bullet, since it does not pass he shooter's ear, it is much less noisy than the muzzle blast.

I design and make silencers on ATF form 1's. This is what I have learned form personal observation.

Also, what caliber would I get the best performance and longevity from?

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There is no good simple answer to what is the best silencer for an AR-15. You have to decide on price, durability, effectiveness and size. Prices will vary from $500 to almost a grand. You can find a list of manufacturers here; http://www.silencertests.com/links.htm . You can find a forum, legal info and dealer lists at http://www.subguns.com
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A person new to title 2 weapons might want to choose a 22lr silencer to start with. They are less expensive and the least noisy although not quiet at all on pistols. They will be hearing safe without ear plugs though.

The only downside to the 22lr is that it is a filthy cartridge. Cleaning out a sealed silencer can be difficult and from what I have heard, impossible to clean completely. When I made my 22lr and 9mm silencers, I knew they would fill up with lead and powder residue after a while. I use cast 147 grain ammo in my 9mm. I made the silencers with screw on ends caps to allow me to clean the baffles easily although it can be a batle at times getting the baffles out after several hundred rounds have been fired without cleaning. As you do not use very aggressive methods, the baffles should not be damaged and last a long time.

Some silencer manufacturers will also clean your silencer for free or a nominal price; contact before you buy.

Other calibers that are good for suppression are 5.56, .308, 300 whisper, 9mm, 45acp, 338 whisper, 510 whisper. Bolt guns are the easiest and least noisy. The AR-15 is a good host. Browning type semi-auto pistols will need a recoil booster to allow for proper operation, the Barretta 92 pistols do not.

The ONLY cartridge and weapon combo I have ever tried that was safe to shoot without hearing protection was the 22 CB cartridge in a rifle. It was nearly as quiet as a suppressed 22lr pistol. The 22 CB round was absolutely not hearing safe in a pistol in my opinion.

Shooting suppressed weapons is really kick ass. Do not let anyone try to talk you out of it before you try. I spend much more on ammo than the $200 tax and material for each of my silencers.

Gotta agree with ranb, don't knock it until you try it! It is fun and for excess prairie pups, which there are a lot of, you can shoot for a long time before they start to get wise. Like I'm sure has been stated, they cannot be used for hunting anything more than varmints and even then I would be asking around.